The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

1 – The Disappeared Protagonists (1)

If one were to inquire among the nobility boasting unparalleled power about the leading prestigious family in the empire, more often than not, the House of Hoenberg would emerge as a prominent candidate.

A lineage of distinguished merit.

Representatives of the east.

Symbols of loyalty, having received trust from the imperial family for generations.

And –

The Hoenberg family gained widespread fame through the exploits of the warrior Maximilian.

Achieving numerous feats, Maximilian, while subduing the Demon King, elevated the Hoenberg family to a reputation surpassing even that of the imperial family of the Baltaria Empire. Such was the renown of the family that their prestige extended to the northern barbarians and the southern desert tribes, earning them respect and envy from all.

“No, why would a well-bred young noble of twenty-five run away? Did he hit puberty late?”

An empty study.

Neatly arranged attire.

And a single note left casually on the table.

Upon entering the study to confront the icy-faced head of the Hoenberg family, it became apparent that the eldest son had unceremoniously fled. He had eloped with Beatrice, a fellow member of the Holy Maiden party and a long-time lover.

No,

If anyone hears about it, they would think the family was in opposition…

They probably opposed it later.

After all, the esteemed elder brother had a strategic engagement with the Third Princess Elizabeth.

News of the disappearance of the seemingly mature and responsible eldest son sent shockwaves through the family. As a paragon of duty and responsibility, his deviation stirred up even more tumultuous repercussions.

“Did Lord Max run away…?”

“I naturally assumed it was Lord Ethan who ran away.”

The exemplary elder son.

The troublesome younger son.

Surprisingly, it was the elder son who caused a commotion.

Wasn’t there a saying about the quiet cat being the first to climb onto the hot roof?

The servants, having encountered the shocking news, stared openly at me, repeating their unease. Although I felt thoroughly disgusted, I remained silent, well aware of the situation.

“Ethan! What on earth is happening here!”

“The eldest son of House Hoenberg went mad for a woman and ran away.”

He had fallen head over heels for the Holy Maiden, whom I call the fishery manager, and impulsively embarked on a love elopement. At this moment, there was no other way to perceive it.

The romantic fantasy’s heroine.

Indeed, he possessed the bewitching charm of a leader.

To make a man as cold-blooded as a perennial frost so blindly devoted.

She sighed while looking at her father, who had rushed in, disheveled like a novice monk, perhaps even forgetting to wear his wig.

“Father, it’s not the time to worry about the whereabouts of an indifferent man. If the fact that the cursed brother has fled with the saint is revealed to the palace, it’s all over.”

“That’s true…!”

Perhaps an anticipated storm was approaching.

A valiant warrior deeply in love and a saint.

However, the warrior had a princess promised in marriage, and the saint was bound by the shackles of faith.

They should have foreseen the possibility of the couple, who had experienced conflicts and turmoil repeatedly, taking extreme actions. Love, as an emotion, was akin to a paralyzing poison that blurred rationality.

“Surely the palace will send a messenger to verify the truth…”

From the perspective of the palace, which had declared that as soon as the warrior Maximilian returned from his journey, the wedding would take place, they would undoubtedly want to suppress our Hohenberg family.

For the disrespect shown to the youngest daughter, raised like a forbidden fruit.

“I will do my best somehow. For now, Father, as a pretext of tracing the missing iron ore, lead the knights and leave the territory. We need to show the Valtaria palace that the Hohenberg family is unrelated to this incident.”

“Your words make sense, but… how should I deal with the palace?”

“Do you really think the palace will reject a prestigious family that produced a warrior in a day? Don’t worry.”

“I apologize.”

With a resigned expression, my father bowed his head.

Sigh-.

As if expressing the complicated inner feelings, the thin hair that had been stretched out like a thread drooped.

He must have felt a betrayal as piercing as the expectations he had placed on his eldest son, now a warrior. There was only concern about whether, due to this incident, hair loss would accelerate, worrying that even the remaining hair might fall out.

* * *

And now-.

Breaking away from the thoughts that entwined his mind, he lifted his head.

Rudmila Drag Valtaria.

The dragon-empowered knight and I met eyes across the table.

“This is insane… Sending a red dragon without any prior notice.”

It was natural to be alarmed as the supreme being of the world appeared abruptly, as if declaring war on a hostile nation. Meeting her cold red eyes, my spine tingled.

What is the purpose?

Is it to completely erase the Hohenberg family?

No…

The probability of the worst-case scenario unfolding was slim.

However, even knowing that, there was no reassurance.

Life and death hung in the balance, held by a red dragon adorned in the guise of a beautiful maiden.

“There’s no need to be so tense. We have no intention of holding you responsible, not being the party involved.”

“…Yes.”

The red dragon, with flowing golden hair, spoke, extending a hand.

The intense hatred that had burned like sulfuric flames began to wane.

It seemed he had sorted out his emotions upon seeing my pallid complexion.

But the precarious situation remained unchanged.

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It was a moment when the fate of the family was at stake.

No matter how strong-hearted one might be, tension was inevitable.

What would the royal family of Valtaria demand of the family? It was clear that they would seek accountability and compensation for the abrupt announcement of the separation by the knight Maximilian, as if he were a heartless recluse.

“The Count doesn’t seem to be present.”

“That’s correct. Currently, his subordinates are mobilized, searching the vicinity.”

Was there no intention to openly reproach the Earl, representing the eastern region?

Rudmila nodded in agreement with the response.

“Oh, tea… Your Highness.”

“Thank you.”

As the door to the reception room opened, a maid entered.

She placed a clearly carefully brewed cup of tea, undoubtedly made from the finest tea leaves.

The second princess had visited the castle.

All personnel, including the butler and maids, must have entered emergency mode.

The turbulent times of the Hohenberg family, which had flipped upside down when the eldest son, who had defeated the demon king and returned in glory, ran away, were once again upended by the visit of the princess. For a family that valued serene peace, it was an extremely rare storm.

“It will undoubtedly spread throughout the realm that the knight and the princess, who had been engaged for a long time, have broken off. If that happens, our Valtaria royal family cannot avoid being subjected to mocking scorn.”

“…”

How must the lower-ranked employees feel in the presence of their representative?

As Rudmila continued to speak, beads of cold sweat trickled down.

Dilated pupils lost their focus.

A face stiffened like leather.

And with each exhalation, a painful ache surged through the stomach.

He was trying to maintain a composed appearance, but it seemed as if he could collapse at any moment.

“Your Excellency.”

“Yes, please speak.”

Is the judgment finally coming down?

He waited for the verdict on the disposal of the red dragon, swallowing dry saliva.

However, Ludmila shattered such expectations and extended an envelope she had placed beside her.

“During your absence from Hwangdo, there was urgent information from the intelligence department. It seems that all members of the Saint Party who admired the hero Maximilian and the Saint Beatrice have disappeared. Do you know anything about this?”

“…Yes?”

The missing targets were not only the main characters. Even the sub-protagonists who reminisced about the heroine Beatrice were gone.

The Sword Saint of the Alond Kingdom.

The Mercenary King of the Latherano Union Republic and the Sage of the Zisterd Kingdom.

The powers that had led the resurgence of humanity by subduing the Demon Army disappeared like a mirage in an instant. The urgency to conceal information suggested that the powerful figures involved in the incident were anxious about leaks, but it wouldn’t be long before the truth became widely known.

“Hero and Saint… and even the Sword Saint, Mercenary King, and Sage.”

While Ludmila examined the documents she handed over, she caught sight of something.

She paused.

Ludmila, who saw him, nodded and opened her mouth.

“Maximilian Gongja disappeared most recently.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The damn brother disappeared today, ten days ago.

Ten days.

A period that was both long and short.

Reading the report about the disappearance of the Mercenary King of the Latherano Union Republic a month ago, he felt something peculiar.

The disappearance dates of the members of the Saint Party were all different.

Was there any reason for that?

It seemed like a good clue in tracking their whereabouts.

“Did the hero leave any words for you by any chance?”

“No, he did not.”

Since the moment Maximilian took on the fate of the hero, he never formed any close bonds with anyone. An exception was made when he met the Saint, but his rough demeanor remained unchanged.

What could he be thinking,

What emotions he was feeling.

He always paid attention like a patient with extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Because of that, even I, his brother like everyone else, didn’t know.

“I have a request for you.”

“I will follow any instructions. Please command.”

How would the Hoenberg family, who committed a heinous crime, dare to refuse?

I will follow even if it is a precarious mission.

The fate of everyone depends on the woman in front of us.

“Join me in searching for the Holy Maiden Party.”

“…?”

The blonde princess extended her hand.

He widened his eyes in confusion.